Ep 9 - Tigh me up, Tigh me down

[Mustex]

The opening was kind of slow and boring, but after the Tighs got drunk it became hilarious. Also James Callis managed a good performance (although not his best), and the story of the Cylon detector moved forward. The second weakest episode ("Act of Contrition" is still first), but still 4/5.

[cornflake]

I have to agree with lollywit. Boomers "cylon test" did not take eleven hours. She was sitting there the whole time. I seem to remember Baltar saying it would only take a minute.

What gives? I really hope I'm missing something, because if the show isn't consistent, it's nothing.

[AmandaC]

cornflake said:

I have to agree with lollywit. Boomers "cylon test" did not take eleven hours. She was sitting there the whole time. I seem to remember Baltar saying it would only take a minute.

What gives? I really hope I'm missing something, because if the show isn't consistent, it's nothing.

I agree with you totally on that matter the whole Boomer test really irked me. She gets tested in minutes yet the commander's and ellen's test take 11 hours. I am sure this was an oversight on the writers behalf. failing that they think we are idiot's and wouldn't notice it......................

I enjoyed the episode I thought mary Mc acted her little cotton socks off in that one. I never liked act of contrition anyway this one is much better my personal fav's are KLG 1 and 2 loved both of them. I loved hand of god brilliant ep great all round work. I also like Colonial day which is on for the US audiences on friday week you are all in for a treat great episode in my opinion.

Eddie did a great job directing I am sure it's hard to direct and act in it as well. I particularly loved the scene between the Prez and billy where they are debating whether r not adama is a cylon. Can you imagine if he was they would have all been frakked by now. A lot of people think the prez is a toaster i doubt that. the epiisode was good not the best to date but good and well worth watching

[MHall]

You are missing something. In one episode, 8 or 9, Adama says a problem with the test is that "...verification takes hours." So, the initial results are quick, but the verification takes hours.

[MHall]

Are there two different pieces of music from the Shawshank Redemption in this episode? One of the first scenes has an opera aria... was it the same as played over the speakers in Shawshank? I'm not sure, but then there is the scene where Baltar, Roslin, and Adama are arguing in the lab. I'm pretty sure this scene has the same music as when Morgan Freeman says, "The man likes to play chess... let's get him some rocks." It's also in American Beauty. Thomas Neuman is the composer.

[MHall]

Ellen goes through several attitude changes:

Adorable Ellen, in pink: tearful, sweet, loving, adoring, understanding, apologetic, insecure
"The things I said before, the things I did... [shh, in the past.] Start over?"

Obnoxious Ellen, in black at the party - drunk, unruly, demanding, not understanding, abrasive, uncooth, silly, childish
"Well, there are a few people who still might wonder if a kindergarten teacher is really the right choice to be president, but this is a tiny, tiny minority." Just after she made the mistake of mentioning Zak, she played footsy with Apollo - it was an inept seduction attempt, just like Shelly Godfrey's attempt to seduce Commander Adama.

Flirtatious Ellen, in black after the party:
Ellen invites Baltar to join her and Tigh for a nightcap.

Aggressive Ellen, in black after flirting with Baltar - aggressive, physically powerful, dominating
Ellen tells of some sexual misconduct by Adama while she was on the Rising Star, Tigh accuses her of lying, and she screams, "I AM NOT!" and powerfully pushes him away, a lot like Six in full aggression mode. Then mutters, "I can prove it," and orders, "Come on!" and drags Tigh off by the hand.

Truce Ellen, in white at the end - physically affectionate towards Adama, yet wary of him
"I completely understand. But let's be sure to test you next."
"You don't want to frack with me, Bill."

[MHall]

Although Ellen's personality changes are explainable via alcohol, I believe Ellen's personality and role changes are better explained through Greek mythology. I think she is shifting between Aphrodite, Ares, and Hera (and maybe Dionysus.)

Read this from a webpage on Aphrodite:
"There are two myths of how Aphrodite was born. The poet, Hesiod, believed she rose up from the sea on a cushion of foam. Homer believed she was the daughter of Zeus and Dione. She was beautiful, magical, and irresistible. ... Zeus was afraid that the gods would fight over her hand in marriage so he quickly married her to Hephaestus."

Ellen -> Aphrodite
reappearance out of nowhere -> birth from foam
Tigh -> Hephaestus
Adama -> Zeus
delivery to Tigh -> arranged marriage to Hephaestus

In the protracted handshake scene between Black Ellen and White Baltar, where Tigh gives them both a warning, and Pink Six seconds that, the mapping might be this:

Ellen -> Aphrodite
Baltar -> Dionysus (lover of Aphrodite)
Tigh -> Hephaestus (husband of Aphrodite)
Six -> Aphrodite

But otherwise, Black Ellen is obnoxious, offensive, and unlikable at the party, and then physically rough and dominating with Tigh after the scene with Baltar, so this is like Ares.

Not convinced that White Ellen corresponds to Hera? Read from a webpage on Zeus:

"... after Zeus had courted [Hera] unsuccessfully for some time, he turned to trickery - [he] changed himself into an injured bird; Hera, feeling sorry for it, held it to her breast to warm it, Zeus, taking advantage of the situation raped her. She then married him to cover her shame."

Ellen -> Hera
Adama -> Zeus
wounded raider -> injured bird
Adama allegedly sexually molesting Ellen -> Zeus' rape of Hera
Ellen hugging Adama -> Hera marrying Adama

In general, it's like this:

Pink Ellen -> Aphrodite
Black Ellen -> Ares
White Ellen -> Hera

(Except that Black Ellen switches back to Aphrodite when talking to Baltar.)

There's something here.

[MHall]

Doral - They've searched every street, every building... they slipped through, how is that possible?
#6 - She thinks she loves him now, that she can't live without him. Her passion is making her more resourceful.
Doral - It bothers you, doesn't it?
#6 - We'll get them in the end.
Doral - No, it bothers you that you've never experienced it.
#6 – (chuckles) You saw the way Helo was when we took her away? He was pathetic. (looks away with an expression of intense anguish)
Doral - I can't help wondering what it would be like to feel that intensely. Even in his anguish, he seemed... so alive.

The mythological mapping here is:
Black Six -> Ares
Red Doral -> Aphrodite
Sharon -> Aphrodite
Helo -> Hephaestus

So, Ares-Six is walking along with her "lover" Aphrodite-Ares, who is married to Hephaestus. Ares-Six is jealous that Aphrodite-Sharon loves "her husband" Helo-Hephaestus, because any Ares would want the love and attention of any Aphrodite. Of course Ares-Six, god of war, cannot love! When Aphrodite-Doral asks her if this bothers her, Ares-Six says how pathetic Helo-Hephaestus was when they took Aphrodite-Sharon away. Ares likes neither Hephaestus nor weakness.

"Even in his anguish, [Helo] seemed... so alive." Seemed. Clue that Helo is a Cylon?

Spoiler for episode 10, (highlight to reveal.)

SPOILER: Click to show

Caprica Sharon vomits. Morning sickness from a pregnancy? Aphrodite never had any children with Hephaestus (Helo.) So, if Aphrodite-Sharon is pregnant, then it cannot be by Hephaestus-Helo. It may be by Tyrol, however, and he maps to Ares in other episodes. A pregnancy by Tyrol fits the pregnancy timeline better (morning sickness doesn't start so quickly.)

This in turn raises the possibility that Helo is a sleeper Cylon, and they are just maintaining his belief that he is human while they await an opportunity to get him back to Galactica in an unsuspicious manner.

[1987SilverOak]

Please I say again, throw Ellen Tigh out the airlock, soon!